Best Damn Chili

A spicy ground beef chili with an assortment of sweet and hot peppers that's easy to make on your stove or in your slow cooker for a crowd-pleasing meal.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 406 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Anaheim chile pepper, chopped
• 2 red jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle light beer (such as Coors®)
• 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 cup white wine
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 0.25 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 2.5 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 (16 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans (such as Bush's®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion, bell pepper, Anaheim pepper, jalapeno peppers, and garlic in the hot oil until softened.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; add Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Crumble bouillon cubes over beef and add beer. Continue to cook , scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until liquid is hot, about 3 minutes. Stir beef mixture into pepper mixture.

Step 3

Stir crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and wine to the beef mixture. Season with chili powder, 2 tablespoons cumin, brown sugar, pepper sauce, basil, paprika, salt, oregano, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until meat and vegetables are very tender and flavors have developed in the chili, about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4

Mix kidney beans into beef and vegetables. Continue to simmer until beans are hot, about 30 minutes more.

Step 5

Blend sour cream, cilantro, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin in a food processor until smooth. Serve sour cream mixture with chili.